Fabulous, poetic, insightful. I'm glad I read Kiese Laymon's book of essays first because there was at least once event (at college threatening the openly racist students) he referred back to and it was useful to know him first as an intellectual writer sharing truths and then getting to peel back the curtain on his insecurities and learning about how he grew up to be who he is. They work well together and he is so talented... both are worth reading.

As he addressed the entire book to "you", his mother, I viscerally felt the shame and anxiety he felt as he assumed more and more control into the look and shape of his body and I so appreciated his remarkable honesty in owning up to his mistakes keeping his life hidden from his mother, gambling away his savings, etc.